Knowledge for Development

The Caribbean

A selection of S&T organisations in the Caribbean.


Bahamas:Caribbean Marine Research Center

Caribbean Marine Research Center, Perry Institute for Marine Sciences (CMRC).

14/12/2004


Biological resources centre for tropical plants of French West Indies

Cirad and Inra (French agricultural research institutes) have decided to join their efforts, in order to widely make known the information linked to their plant collections from the Caribbean. Because of their greatly diversified natural patrimony, and because of their history which has favoured the introduction of germplasm for agriculture, the West Indies are rich of numerous collections of vegetal biological resources, maintained through various processes by the agronomical research institutes Cirad and Inra. These collections have been constituted over the years, from various collecting missions in the Caribbean and Americas, but also further ones, up to the centres of origins of some crops. Targeted audience includes among others, agricultural professionals, scientists, and the teaching profession. These collections include cultivated species and related wild types, such as banana, sugarcane, fruits, yams and horticultural plants, as well as an herbarium, referenced at the international level. This natural or collected biodiversity constitutes a basis for diversification programmes, genetic improvement and genetic resources characterisation.Region / Country: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Caribbean.

21/01/2011


CARDI: Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute

CARDI is an R&D organization providing technical assistance, technology development and transfer in areas such as integrated pest management (IPM), organic farming, production systems, and plant genetic resources. CARDI has collaborative arrangements with over 50 regional and international R&D organizations.

14/12/2004


Caribbean Academy of Sciences

The Caribbean Academy of Sciences covers the natural, agricultural, medical, engineering and social sciences. It is an independent, non-governmental body with 150 members.

14/12/2004


Caribbean Community and Common Market,CARICOM

CARICOM aims to foster economic cooperation among the 14 member states through the Caribbean single market and economy; to coordinate foreign policy; and to provide common services and cooperation in areas such as health, education and culture, communications and industrial relations.

14/12/2004


Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre coordinates the Caribbean region’s response to climate change. Officially opened in August 2005, the Centre is the key node for information on climate change issues and on the region’s response to managing and adapting to climate change in the Caribbean.

29/05/2008


Caribbean network for the development of agro-ecological horticultural systems

Devag is a Research & Development project, in cooperation and for the insular Caribbean, funded by the INTERREG IV Caribbean programme and supported by the Cooperation services and cultural actions of the French Embassy of Cuba and Haiti. The project is planned for 4 years and started since October 2009. The project is based on a largely shared assessment of an insufficient development of horticultural agro-ecological or organic production in the Caribbean – even if these productions are identified as an essential element for a healthy diet, food self-sufficiency and as an important source of income (high value crops). The project has a global objective which is accelerating the implementation of the innovative and adoptable crop systems to satisfy a huge demand from local markets in fresh and healthy products, reducing the negative impact of these crops on insular and fragile environments under high anthropic pressure. To do so, it mobilizes the competences of the present partners (CIRAD, IIFT, IIHLD, UNICA, MARNDR and FAMV) on four Caribbean islands: Cuba, Haïti, Martinique and Guadeloupe. IPS reports on the project.http://devag.tropical-agroecology.org/index.php?lang=en

12/01/2012


Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism

The vision of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is to promote sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources in and among the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States, by development, management and conservation of these resources in collaboration with stakeholders to benefit the people of the Caribbean region. The site lists the CARICOM Fishery Reports (proceedings of major workshops, reviews, reports of consultants); CARICOM Fishery Research Documents; CARICOM Fishery Advisory Documents (fishery management issues); CARICOM Special Fishery Publications (miscellaneous publications such as popular and educational pamphlets, brochures, leaflets, and posters); and events.

25/05/2007


CaribVET - Caribbean Animal Health Network

The Caribbean Animal Health Network (CaribVET) is a joint network of institutions and professionals aiming to improve animal health and the quality and safety of animal products throughout the Caribbean. Its members include veterinary services, veterinary laboratories, government agencies, research institutes, farmers’ associations, NGOs and universities mainly from the Caribbean but also from North, Central or South American countries.The latest report produced by CaribVET covers the 6th meeting of the Epidemiology Working Group of CaribVET. The meeting took place in Cuba in June 2010 and focused on territorial-based methodology for the risk assessment of animal transboundary diseases.

17/02/2011


Cariscience

CariScience is a network of R&D and postgraduate programmes in the basic sciences in the member countries. Funded and advised by UNESCO. A sister organisation of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences.

14/12/2004


CCST: Caribbean Council for Science and Technology

CCST is an intergovernmental organisation that is promoting cooperation in science and technology among its member countries. The CCST Secretariat is hosted by the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) in Trinidad. The CCST coordinates and implements CARICOM's S&T policies and programmes, in collaboration with national science councils. Simbiosis is a regional network of research scientists and experts promoting the exchange of information and technology in biotechnology, food technology and biodiversity.

14/12/2004


Coastal Capital: Economic valuation of coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean

The World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Coastal Capital series was launched in 2005 and aims to provide decision-makers in the Caribbean with information and tools that link the health of coastal ecosystems with the attainment of economic and social goals. WRI and its local partners have conducted economic valuation studies of coral reefs and mangroves at national and subnational levels in five countries: Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Belize, the Dominican Republic and, in June 2011, Jamaica. WRI has published (June 2011) a Working Paper on the coastal capital of Jamaica with an interesting field report. The paper offers a detailed evaluation of the contribution of coral reefs to the Jamaican economy, as well as the benefits that will be lost if coral reefs degrade further. (World Resources Institute, 6/2011)

23/07/2011


COLEACP

COLEACP (Comité de Liaison Europe-Afrique-Caraïbes-Pacifique) is a non-profit inter-professional association, representing and defending the collective interests of ACP producers/exporters and EU importers of fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants. Its main goal is to promote the horticulture trade in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, especially with the European Union and to enhance its competitiveness. COLEACP is dedicated to increasing the integration of small farmers into the supply chain, and advocates the adoption of best practices by all operators in respect of food safety, human health and environmental protection.

18/10/2007


EUCARINET Website

EUCARINET is a four-year INCONET Coordination Action, supported by the European Commission (DG RTD-INCO), whose main goal is to strengthen bi-regional sustainable dialogue on Science and Technology between Europe and the Caribbean. Researchers can find an overview of each Caribbean sub-region and the major relevance of R&D plus some interesting links to institutions fostering research and cooperation. It also hosts a database of all research publications from all Caribbean countries/territories except Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands for the period 1999-2009 (based on the Web of Science (WoS,®) online database of Thomson Reuters).

1/05/2012


European Caribbean EUCARINET project

EUCARINET is a four-year INCONET Coordination Action, supported by the European Commission (DG RTD-INCO), whose main goal is to establish and strengthen bi-regional sustainable dialogue on Science and Technology (including in the ICT field)at policy, programme and institutional (research entities) level between Europe and the Caribbean. The project consortium includes 12 partners, 6 from the EU and 6 from the Caribbean, representing stakeholders from research, industry, government and civil society, that will ensure the fulfillment of EUCARINET's objectives. EUCARINET targets the whole of the Caribbean region: the ACP group of states, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the overseas Departments and Collectivities, the Overseas Countries and Territories.

21/01/2011


Haiti - Dominican Republic: Transborder Agroforestry Experiment

The first results of a Haiti-Dominican Republic transborder agroforestry experiment, conducted from 2002 to 2006 at four sites in the two countries, were made available in the form of a brochure ‘Growing Up in the Union’. The brochure was released on 14 March at Petionville, east of Port-au-Prince, to representatives of national and international organizations. See also for an analysis of the success of agroforestry projects in the countries of the South.

8/06/2010


Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) / Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA), Caribbean Regional Center (CARC), supports the efforts of the Member States to promote integration, cooperation and participation in the global economy, to guarantee food safety, to foster agribusiness development, and to transform education for scientists, technicians and entrepreneurs.

14/12/2004


Jamaica: Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP)

Agro-Investment Corporation is a new entity arising from the merger of the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) and the Agricultural Support Services Productive Projects Fund Limited (ASSPPFL). The Agriculture Development Corporation (ADC) The ADC was established under the ADC Act of 1952 to encourage, assist and promote the development of agriculture in Jamaica. Its functions include facilitating, processing and marketing of agricultural produce through the use of lands owned by the ADC or managed on behalf of the MoA. The Agricultural Support Services Productive The Company was established to mobilize and manage a pool of funds, made available by the IDB, to enhance the competitiveness of Jamaica’s agriculture in domestic and global markets.

21/02/2007


Jamaica: Scientific Research Council (SRC)

Scientific Research Council is responsible for fostering and coordination of scientific research and its application. Most of the Council?s projects support the growth and development of the agro-industrial sector through research, adaptation of available technologies, creation of new and appropriate technologies and the provision of training and technical assistance. The Council publishes a newsletter, reports and the Jamaica Journal of Science and Technology.

14/12/2004


Jamaica: University of the West Indies (UWI)

UWI serves the 16 Caribbean members countries of the Commonwealth. UWI is based at Mona, Jamaica, with centres in Barbados and Trinidad, to ensure that a wide cross section of the population has access to a variety of educational services. UWI offers undergraduate, masters and doctoral programmes in fields including the pure and applied sciences, science and agriculture, engineering, medical and social sciences, with a strong emphasis on Caribbean issues.

14/12/2004


Launch of the Caribbean Disaster Risk Atlas

A tool to enhance decision-making to reduce the serious economic and social impacts caused by natural hazards in the region has been launched by the University of the West Indies (UWI). The Caribbean Disaster Risk Atlas has been designed to meet the need for reliable data in the development of comprehensive risk management strategies in the Caribbean. Caribbean 360 has the story (25/6/2012). 

14/09/2012


Open School of Tropical Animal Science and Production (OSTASP)

OSTASP improves the knowledge, technology and the sustainable development of animal science and production with respect to neo-tropical species in their indigenous regions.In particular, OSTASP carries out education programmes to raise awareness on the threat of extinction of neo-tropical wildlife or terrestrial non aquatic wildlife in the Caribbean. There are various subprogrammes such as the virtual centre of neo-tropical animal wildlife and the electronic journal of neo-tropical animal wildlife.

16/08/2010


Resource website for the West Indies and French Guiana (CIRAD)

CIRAD now has a website presenting its activities in the West Indies and French Guiana. Users can now access information on its operations and installations, and CIRAD contact details for Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana.http://antilles-guyane.cirad.fr/

12/01/2012


RIE Network (Caribbean Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network)

Recently launched, RIE Network (Caribbean Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network) embraces a range of key stakeholders throughout the Caribbean region active in the fields, of science, technology and innovation and the practical implementation of all three to develop progressive entrepreneurial business that advance the region economically and socially. RIE Network is a new initiative and aims to become a virtual community of interest that encourages the sharing of experiences, the transfer of ‘know how’ and the provision of role models for a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. There is a real need to bridge the gap between research and development persons and institutions, policy makers and entrepreneurial business persons in the private sector as communications between all three groups have been ‘disconnected’ for many years.

13/01/2010


The Caribbean Agrometeorological Initiative (CAMI)

The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) in partnership with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of ten Caribbean member States have received a grant from the European Union through the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Science and Technology (S&T) Programme for the Caribbean Agrometeorological Initiative (CAMI). The objective of the programme is to increase and sustain agricultural productivity at the farm level in the Caribbean region through improved dissemination and application of weather and climate information using an integrated and coordinated approach. The results are expected to benefit the farming community in the Caribbean Region. The project is expected to assist the farming on predictors of the rainy season potential and development of effective pest and disease forecasting systems for improved on-farm management decisions; preparation and wide diffusion of a user-friendly weather and climate information newsletter and organization of forums with the farming community and agricultural extension agencies to promote a better understanding of the applications of weather and climate information and to obtain feedback to provide better products from the meteorological services for use by the farming community.

17/02/2011


The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

The coordinates the Caribbean region’s response to climate changes. Officially opened in August 2005, the Centre is the key node for information on climate change issues and on the region’s response to managing and adapting to climate change in the Caribbean. It is the official repository and clearing house for regional climate change data, providing climate change-related policy advice and guidelines to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States through the CARICOM Secretariat. In this role, the Centre is recognised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other international agencies as the focal point for climate change issues in the Caribbean. It has also been recognised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) as a Centre of Excellence, one of an elite few. This reputation is a major honour for the Centre, and it should be a great source of pride for the people of the Caribbean as well.

17/02/2011


The Caribbean Innovation Research and Entrepreneurship Website

As a follow-up to the CTA S&T regional workshop that was held in Jamaica in September 2009 in collaboration with the Caribbean Council for Science and Technology (CCST), UWI, CARDI and other Caribbean partners, the Caribbean Innovation Research and Entrepreneurship website www.rienet.net has been launched. The aim is to promote best practices and mobilize young professionals and other Caribbean actors to achieve their highest potential. The website is an output of the joint collaboration and CTA’s contribution is acknowledged. CTA is also listed as a key partner.The RIE Network aims to become a virtual community of interest that encourages the sharing of experiences, the transfer of ‘know how’ and the provision of role models for a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. There is a real need to bridge the gap between research and development persons and institutions, policy makers and entrepreneurial business persons in the private sector as communications between all three groups have been ‘disconnected’ for many years.

18/02/2010


The Caribbean Youth Science Forum (CYSF)

The Caribbean Youth Science Forum (CYSF) is a regional event that brings together over two hundred (200) Sixth Form Science students from the Caribbean for a full week of educational, social and cultural activities. The students participate in lectures, field trips, projects, debates, sports and social activities and interact with scientists. The first forum was funded by the OAS and was held in 1999 when 124 students from 12 Caribbean countries participated. The forum has now evolved into a major annual event on the NIHERST calendar during the August vacation period. The net reach has widened to include students from Latin America.

18/07/2007


The CARIWIG project

The Caribbean Weather Impacts Group (CARIWIG) aims to inform policymakers in the Caribbean on the likely impacts of climate change specific to their region. Current weather and climate models appear of limited use in this respect due to scale and bias issues and locally relevant data remains sporadic. CARIWIG will addresses these issues through the provision of locally relevant information on the weather impacts of climate change, training of technical staff, the development of support networks within the region and with UK research institutes. A web service will be developed to provide this service through the adaptation and provision of leading weather-generator models from the EARWIG (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136481520700031X) and the UKCIP09 climate knowledge systems. http://www.cariwig.org/  (CARIWIG, 01/2013)

7/03/2013


Trinidad and Tobago Foresight and Innovation Network (TTFI)

TTFI is the Trinidad & Tobago Foresight and Innovation Network. The aim is to use the portal to connect those in T&T who are interested in advancing the international competitiveness of the economy and the well-being of the people living in the country through the use of foresight and innovation.

24/07/2007